Tobacco-leaf spreader



(No Model.) 3 Shets-Sheet 1.

J.'T. CARTER. TOBACCO LEAF SPREADER. No. 663,656. I Patented July 7,1896.

K5 I K N Inventor John/1T Gamer Witness-es (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

6 J. T. CARTER.

TOBACCO LEAF SPREADER. No. 563,656. P6666 66 July 7, 1896.

Inventor: w W messes: John li'arter' Zyfiv'sflfivzvzeys Tu: mums PETERSco. PNDIOAJTHO, ymsumm'on. u. c.

(No Model.) 3 Sheets'Sheet 3.

J. T. CARTER.

, TOBAGGO LEAF SPREADER. N0. 666,656. Patented July 7, 1896 F4 .F 6; U#N mm Q 1% R0 5 Ei' 6: 6: R P6 "6 6 6 i x 1 o W I O RV I M" a 'R\ o o'xzw Witnesses: h & k, x J 17222 9350;

ohn ar 7 UNITED STATES JOHN T. CARTER, OF DANVILLE, VIRGINIA.

TOBACCO-LEAF SPREADER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 563,656, dated July 7,1896.

Application filed November 15, 1894:. Serial No. 528,875. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, JOHN T. CARTER, a citizen of the United States, anda resident of Danville, Virginia, have invented certain Improvements inTobacco-Leaf Spreaders, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide a simple and effective machinefor spreading, smoothing, and flattening tobacco leaves prior to theremoval of the stems therefrom.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a side view ofsufficient of the machine to illustrate my invention. Fig. 2 is a planview of the machine, and Fig. 3 is a similar view with the belts orhands removed.

A A represent the opposite side frames of the machine, one of these sideframes having the bearings for three pairs of shafts B, D, and F and theother side frame have the bearin gs for three corresponding pairs ofshafts B, D, and F, the shafts of each pair being located one above theother.

Each of the shafts has a series of pulleys upon it, the pulleys of theshafts B, D, and F being lettered, respectively, Z), (Z, and f and thepulleys of the shafts B, D, and F being lettered, respectively, b, d,and f, each of the pulleys being preferably grooved for the reception ofa round belt. An upper and lower series of endless belts is thusprovided, and each series comprises two sets of belts. Thus, in themachine shown in the drawings, there are eight belts 2' extending fromthe pulleys Z) Z) to the pulleys ff, and seven belts i extending fromthe pulleys d d to the pulleys f f, said belts t alternating with thebelts i.

Each of the pairs of shafts l3, 1), and F is set at a slight angle inrespect to the central longitudinal line of the machine and the pairs ofshafts B, D, and F are set at a reverse angle, so that the belts takethe diverging course illustrated in Fig. 2, this arrangement providingfor the close grouping of the belts 11 at the feed end of the machine,where the pulleys h l) are located and where there is also a feed-tablem, the divergence of the belts 41 providing the necessary space for theintroduction of the shorter alternating belts 2 which serve to maintaina comparatively close grouping of the belts at the outlet or dischargeend of the machine, where the pulleys f f are located.

The shafts F are geared together by spurgears n or in some otherappropriate manner, and the shafts F are likewise geared together, sothat if power is applied to either shaft of each pair traversingmovement will be imparted to all of the belts. This movement is in thedirection of the arrows shown in Fig. 1, and the pulleys are so locatedthat the lower runs of the upper series of belts are in close proximityto the upper runs of the lower series of belts. Hence if thetobacco-leaf is inserted between the belts i at the feed end of themachine it will be gripped and carried forward thereby and will at thesame time be spread or smoothed out laterally owing to the divergence ofthe belts, the belts 7 acting in like manner as soon as the leaf comesunder their influence, so that when the leaf escapes from the deliveryend of the machine all portions of the same will have been subjected tothis lateral spreading or smoothing action at some time during theforward movement of the leaf. Hence the leaf will be de livered in thebest possible condition for the eifective removal of the stem therefrom,as well as for the subsequent handling to which the leaf is to besubjected.

\Vhile the shafts D D, their pulleys, the secondary set of belts i, andtheircorresponding pulleys ff may be omitted without departing from themain feature of my invention, their use is preferred, as it provides fora more eifective control of the leaf and a more thorough spreading orsmoothing of the same than if the secondary set of belts was omitted.

It will be observed that the belts '5 t are round belts, which are moreeffective for the intended purpose than fiat belts would be, since it isimportant to confine as little of the leaf as possible between theadjoining runs of the belts in order to secure the maximum of spreadingaction due to the divergence of the belts.

Having thus described my invention, 1 claim and desire to secure byLetters Patcut 1. A tobacco-leaf spreader consisting of upper and lowerseries of endless round belts series of pairs of inclined shafts, eachhaving pulleys and round belts adapted to said pulleys and forming twoseries with adjoining runs adapted to seize and carry forward the leaf,the belts of each series diverging laterally, substantially asspecified.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence or two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN T. CARTER.

\Vitnesses:

J AS. T. CATLIN, MORRIS MOORE.

